N665B

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 14, 2023, about 1135 (all times mountain daylight time, or mdt), a Cessna T182T airplane, N665B, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Albany, Wyoming. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot’s son, his father and his father’s wife were on a cross-country trip that originated in Bend, Oregon, and included a stop in Toronto, Canada, to attend a funeral. A review of commercially available ADS-B and ForeFlight preflight data showed that from April 25th to April 28th, the pilot conducted multiple visual flight rules (VFR) flights and one IFR flight while enroute to the Buttonville, Municipal Airport (CYKZ) Toronto, Canada. There were no indications of flight abnormalities during these flights.

While in Toronto, the airplane was loaded with personal items, and on May 11, 2023, the pilot and passenger began their return trip. The couple departed CYKZ and travelled to Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) Buffalo, New York. The flight then continued to the Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) Chicago, Illinois, where the couple visited family. According to the pilot’s son, the pilot adjusted his flight itinerary to avoid adverse weather to the west.

On May 13, 2023, the pilot and passenger departed PWK and conducted an IFR flight to the Lincoln Airport (LNK), Lincoln, Nebraska. While at LNK the pilot mentioned to the front desk team that they were waiting on weather so they will be in Lincoln a little longer than expected. While at LNK, during the fueling operation, a “fueler” did not secure the left-wing tank cap, and it separated from the wing, later to be recovered by a fixed base operator (FBO) employee. The pilot and passenger, unaware of the missing cap, departed and conducted an IFR flight to Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL) Fort Collins, Colorado. While at Fort Collins, the pilot was made aware of the missing cap, and replaced it with an automotive cap.

While in Fort Collins, the wife of the pilot texted a family member and wrote, “The visibility is very low at the moment. We may be stuck here for a bit.” The pilot also communicated with his son and notified him that they had safely arrived at Fort Collins and that he was hopeful to return home the following day.

According to ForeFlight records, the pilot filed an IFR flight plan from FNL to the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport (RKS) Rock Springs, Wyoming, that would occur on May 14, 2023. A weather briefing was provided to the pilot that included Airmen’s Meteorological Reports (AIRMETS) for IFR conditions, mountain obscurations, moderate turbulence, and moderate icing conditions along portions of the route.

ADS-B data and air route controller communication records showed the airplane departed runway 33 at FNL about 10:46. ADS-B data showed the airplane maintained about 95 knots ground speed during the initial climb out. After departure the pilot was in radio contact with departure control and was directed to climb to 12,000 ft msl and later cleared to fly direct to the YAMMI intersection to join the Laramie transition. About 1059, the pilot was directed to contact the air route controller. Immediately afterwards, the pilot contacted the air route controller and reported climbing to 12,000 ft. The air route controller advised the pilot of the Laramie altimeter setting.

About 1107, the air route controller directed the pilot to climb to 13,000 ft. Two minutes later the pilot was directed to cross the Laramie very high frequency omnidirectional range station (LAR VOR) at 13,000 ft, which the pilot acknowledged. ADS-B data showed that after reaching 13,000 ft, the airplane accelerated to a maximum ground speed of about 146 knots for a moment, then reduced and maintained a groundspeed of about 115 knots. About 1115, before arriving over the LAR VOR, the pilot reported mild rime ice at 13,000 ft, and an outside air temperature of -2°C. The air route controller asked the pilot if he wanted to climb higher and the pilot replied that they were okay for now. ADS-B data showed the airplane crossed over LAR VOR about 13,175 ft while maintaining about 115 knots. The airplane then turned left to a heading of about 288° magnetic and proceeded northwest, consistent with tracking along the V4 low altitude enroute airway towards the Cherokee VOR (CKW VOR).

At 1131:34, while about 15 miles northwest of the LAR VOR, the airplane’s speed reduced to about 95 knots and the airplane turned off course to the right and began a descent. About the same time, the engine data monitor (EDM) recorded an increase of power. The airplane’s speed increased momentarily to about 126 knots but continued to vary from about 126 to 72 knots for the remainder of the flight. The air route controller issued a low-altitude alert and advised the pilot that the minimum IFR altitude (MIA) was 13,000 feet and advised him to climb immediately. The air route controller received no response. The air route controller advised the pilot with a second low altitude alert and again received no response. The air route controller then made a broadcast for N665B which the pilot responded with “we got a problem, hold on.” About that time, ADS-B showed that the airplane was right of course about ½ mile, maintaining a heading of about 348° magnetic, and was descending through about 11,950 ft. About one minute later the air route controller asked the pilot if he needed a heading for lower altitude or to an airport. The pilot responded with, “will get back to you in a minute.” About that time, ADS-B showed that the airplane was about 1 mile right of course in a continuous, tightening right turn and descending through about 10,900 ft about 1,825 ft per minute, while the EDM recorded that the power remained high. The air route controller attempted to contact the pilot on multiple occasions but received no further response. The last ADS-B data point recorded the airplane at an altitude of 9,075 ft msl (about 965 ft agl) with a groundspeed of 87 knots about 890 ft north of the accident site. Figure 1 is a Google Earth image illustrating the airplane’s ADS-B track during the final moments of the flight. About 1150, the air route controller issued an alert notification (ALNOT) for N665B, and the wreckage was located about 1425.

Figure 1. Google Earth view of the ADS-B defined route of flight and the accident location. The arrows indicate the direction of flight. The dashed line is an estimate of airway V4 and the LYMPS waypoint between the LAR VOR and the CKW VOR. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONA review of an excerpt of the pilot’s personal logbook showed that he underwent instrument proficiency flights on June 30, 2018, September 4, 2020, and January 28, 2022.

According to a certificated instrument flight instructor (CFII), he flew 11 flights with the accident pilot between September 4, 2020, to February 8, 2023. The flights included two instrument proficiency flights that occurred on September 4, 2020, and January 28, 2022. He recorded 16 approaches and logged 15.5 hours of dual flight time including 10.0 hours of hood time. He reported the accident pilot’s instrument flying skills showed remarkable improvement from previous instrument flights. The flight instructor recalled that on the last instrument training flight with the accident pilot, about October 6, 2023, he noticed that the attitude indicator would develop an error and give false indications. He advised the pilot to get the attitude indicator fixed before taking the airplane into instrument conditions. While on the flight, the CFII took a photograph of the instrument panel (see Figure 2) that showed the attitude indicator and the turn coordinator were not in agreement; the attitude indicator showed the airplane in a left turn while the turn coordinator indicated a right turn

Figure 2. Photograph of the accident airplane's instrument panel. Photo courtesy of the CFII. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONFuel records revealed that the pilot purchased 74.3 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel while at FNL. According to the Fixed Base Operation (FBO) at FNL, the pilot topped off the airplane with fuel before departing, which resulted in about 92 gallons or 552 pounds. The contents of the airplane were weighed and determined to be 310 pounds. The pilot and passenger’s weights were estimated to total 350 pounds. A Pilot’s Operating Handbook for an exemplar Cessna T182T airplane listed the standard empty weight as 2,023 pounds, the maximum useful load of 1,089 pounds, and a maximum takeoff weight of 3,100 pounds. Calculations revealed that the load (baggage, crew, and fuel weights) of the accident airplane was about 1,212 pounds, or about 123 pounds over the maximum useful load. If the accident airplane’s empty weight was the same as the exemplar airplane, the maximum calculated takeoff weight for the accident airplane would have been about 3,235 pounds, or about 135 pounds above the maximum takeoff weight.

Maintenance records for the airplane were not recovered. A photocopy of some maintenance records revealed that an annual inspection occurred on October 5, 2022, at a tachometer time of 2,537.4 hours. Damage to the cockpit area precluded identification of the autopilot manufacturer; however, the Pilot’s Operating Handbook for a similar airplane listed the Bendix/King KAP 140 2-Axis autopilot as standard equipment. According to the CFII, the airplane was equipped with an autopilot that was coupled to a Garmin 400.

The attitude indicator was destroyed and provided no useful data. Determination of the preaccident status of the attitude indicator was inconclusive. Attempts to contact the maintenance company where previous maintenance on the airplane was conducted were unsuccessful. According to the CFII, who worked for the same company, the maintenance shop was no longer in business, and he was unaware if the pilot...